A female crew member was found dead aboard Celebrity Constellation after the vessel arrived at La Spezia on the morning of July 19th, prompting an investigation by the Italian authorities.
According to the Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX, the deceased was a 33-year-old stewardess from Mauritius. She was discovered in her cabin by her partner, who was also employed on board. The alarm was immediately raised, and the ship's medical team attended the scene, where the woman was pronounced dead. The newspaper reported that investigators are treating the case as a suspected suicide, although the exact cause of death has not yet been officially confirmed.
Once the vessel had completed berthing operations, officers from the La Spezia police, forensic specialists, and representatives of the local prosecutor's office boarded the ship to examine the scene. Prosecutor Giacomo Gustavino reportedly interviewed the woman's partner as part of the ongoing inquiry. Investigators are reviewing the sequence of events, including footage from the ship's security camera system, while the authorities have indicated that an autopsy may be ordered as the investigation progresses.
The body was transferred to the mortuary at Sant'Andrea Hospital in La Spezia, where it remains at the disposal of the judicial authorities. Italian officials are also coordinating with the Mauritian consulate to notify the woman's family and provide the necessary consular assistance.
According to the publication, the family expressed concerns regarding the handling of the case, alleging a lack of transparency and accountability by both the cruise line and the hiring agency. They also indicated that they believe several aspects of the investigation remain unresolved and that they intend to seek legal representation through an international law firm.
At the time of the incident, Celebrity Constellation was operating a 10-day Mediterranean itinerary from Ravenna to Civitavecchia/Rome, scheduled to conclude on July 20th.
For more Celebrity Constellation incidents and accidents, see the ship's CruiseMinus page